Cigarette-machine



0. e. SATTERWHITE.

GIGARETTE MACHINE.

No. 583.003. Patented May 18,1897.

Inventor.

A ttorlley.

m: NORRIS versus co, PHOTO-LITHO" WASHING'IUN, u. c

No Model.) 4 SheetS- -Sheet. 2. 0. G. SAT-TBRW HI TE. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

Patented May "18, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4Sheets-Shee t,-4. C. C. SATTERWHITE.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

Patented May 18, 1897 I nv entoi. PM

Attorney.

UNITED TATES CHARLES C. SATTERWHITE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE DIAMOND CIGARETTE MACHINE COMPANY, OF

EST VIRGINIA.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,003, dated May 18, 1897.

Application filed June 20, 1896.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. SATTER- WHITE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention, the feeding mechanism being removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the entire machine. Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine, showing the feeding mechanism in side elevation. Fig. 4: is a view, partly in section, with one side of the frame removed, showing the feeding mechanism and the parts below the same. Fig. 5 is apartial plan view of the machine on a larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through a part of the machine. Fig. 7 is an end View of the cutting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 9 is a detail View of the preferred form of pasting mechanism. Fig. 10 is a view of a modified form of pasting mechanism in vertical section and also in plan. Fig. 11 is a detail of a guiding and spreading device for the filler-formin g belts, showing the same in end and side views. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the mouthpiece-rollers and their gearing. Figs. 13 and 14 are sectional views showing different steps in the formation of the cigarettes. Fig. 15 is a detail view of the bearings 28 and parts adjacent thereto, and Fig. 16 is a detail View showing the vibrating paste-roller in section.

This invention has relation to cigarettemachines of the class known as endwisemoving-filler or continuous machines, wherein the tobacco, after being put in proper condition by the action of suitable feeding mechanism, is formed or shaped into a continuous endwise-moving rod, which is enveloped in a continuous pasted wrapper, and is afterward cut into cigarettes of the proper length as the Serial No. 596,324. (No model.)

continuous cigarette is delivered from the 1nachine,the entire operation being performed mechanically.

The invention is designed to provide a machine of this character which is capable of a high rate of production and in which each step of the work is performed With the accuracy and niceness essential to the production of perfect cigarettes; also, to provide a machine which, in View of the character of the work it performs, is simple in its construction and in the manner of its operation.

The invention relates more particularly to the mechanism for shaping the tobacco to form the continuous filler, the mechanism for applying thewrapper thereto, the means for applying paste to said wrapper, and the cutting mechanism by which the enveloped rod is cut into cigarettes of the proper length.

It also relates to the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main frame of the machine, which is of suitable character to provide support and bearings for the operative parts.

2 is the frame of the tobacco feeding device, which is rigidly secured to the rear portion of the main frame and extends at right angles thereto.

3 is the main shaft of the machine, which is journaled in bearings at one side of the main frame along which it extends and which carries fast and loose driving-pulleys 3?.

4 designates an endless feed-belt which is inclined upwardly from its receiving to its delivery end-and which is carried by rollers 5 and 6, journaled in the frame 2. The shaft of the lower roller 4 is shown as being driven by bevel-gear 7 from a shaft 8, which in turn is driven by worm-gear 9 from the main shaft 3. The upper roller 6 is an idle-roller.

10 is a table over which the working portion of the belt or apron 4 travels. ll designates a pair of toothed cylinders which are journaled one above the other at the delivery end of the said belt or apron and receive the tobacco therefrom. They are provided with intermeshing spur-wheels 12 and are positively driven by suitable gear 13 from the shaft of roller 5.

1t and 15 designate two larger cylinders also provided with teeth and journaled one above the other on the main frame. These cylinders are designed to be positively driven by suitable gear connections, as indicated at 15 and 16. The purpose of the cylinder 1% is to seize the tobacco from the cylinders 11, and that of cylinder 15 is to carry the tobacco forward to deliver it properly to the fillerforming mechanism through the chute 16.

17 indicates an adjustable bearing for the shaft of roller 5, whereby the tension of the feed-belt 4 may be regulated.

18 designates a pair of endless belts which are similar to those described in my pending application, Serial No. $1,011, filed March 15, 1895that is to say, each belt has at its upper edge an inwardly projecting lip or flange 18, which is upon the inner face of the working portion of the belt. 19 designates the horizontally-journaled driving-pulleys for said belts, and 20 idle-pulleys which guide and carry the opposite portions thereof and which are made adjustable, as indicated at 20, to provide means for regulating the tension of the belts.

21 indicates suitable gear for driving the pulleys 19 from the main shaft.

22 22 designate two idle-pulleys which are journaled at an angle to each other, as best seen in Fig. 4, and which form guides to deflect and hold the two belts in positions to form a V-shaped trough underneath the discharge of the feed mechanism. 23 is a suitable roller or disk forholding the upper portions of the belts spread laterally from each other at this point, and 23 is a grooved guidepulley which is located underneath the roller or disk 23 to assist in maintaining the belts in such relation to each other. In order to further guide and throw the belts into this trough-forming position, the pulleys 20 and 22 are preferably so related to each other that the lower portions of the pulleys 22 are in substantially the same horizontal plane as the central portions of the pulleys 20. I do not, however, limit myself to any particular arrangement of guides for causing the belts to assume the desired positions, since this may be accomplished in various ways. Although the lower edge portions of these two belts are thrown inwardly toward each other, they do not meet, but are separated by a narrow space or interval, in which I place a narrow endless belt 24, preferably of steel, carried by pulleys 25, one of which is driven by suitable gear 26 at the same rate of speed as the bolts 18. Said belt also passes over the guide-pulley 23. These three belts constitute the fillerforming conduit, in which the tobacco is shaped to filler form at the same time that it is carried forward. The upper or working portion of the belt 2i travels over a narrow plate 27, which prevents it from sagging.

Said plate is supported between the two parallel blocks 27, which are adjustably secured to the bed-plate of the main frame, and are in one piece with the bearings 28 for the shafts of the belt carrying and driving pulleys 19. I may, however, omit said belt and employ only the plate 27 to form the bottom of the conduit. Secured to each of the said blocks 27 and capable of lateral adjustment toward and away from the respective belts 18 is a plate 28", which is provided with vertical journal-studs, upon which are placed an extended series of rollers 29. Between these two series of rollers the belts 18 travel in and after returning to the normal edgewise-disposed positions, which begins to take place shortly after said belts pass the pulleys 23. It is in passing between these rollers that the filler receives its initial shape, said belts 1S and 21 forming a substantially-closed conduit therefor, the inner edges of the flanges of the belts 18 nearly or quite meeting at this time. By a lateral adjustment of the plates 28 the active pressure of said rollers can be regulated. The adjustment of the blocks 27 permits a lateral separation of the belts to the proper degree for forming a tobacco rod of any desired diameter, and inasmuch as the plates 28 are carried thereby the rollers 2.) willreceiveacorrespondingadjustment. The belt 24: is interchangeable for one of a different width, when desired. 30 3O designate two rollers which are journaled transversely of the said belt and which are arranged to bear upon the upper edges of the same as they enter between the rollers 29 before they have fully returned to edgewise position, their purpose being to check any tendency of the tobacco to work up between the belts. As the filler-rod escapes from the belts 18 and passes out between the driving-pulleys 19 it is guided by a suitable trough or gutter 31, through which it moves to the wrapping mechanism. Said trough is slotted at 32 to permit the filler at this time to come in contact with the paper. In the arrangement shown the paper is carried on a roller journaled in a suitable depending bracket or brackets 33 of the frame 1, from which roll it passes over adjacent friction or tension rollers ill 35, thence over a guide-roll 36, and thence up through the trough 31 to the wrapping meehanism now to be described.

Set in the upper plate 33 of the frame 1 is a box 3t, having therein a longitudinal trough or channel 34:", formed with a concaved or partially cylindrical bottom portion. Running through this trough is an endless tape belt 35", which is driven by a pair of positively-drivcn friction-rollers 30, which in the present instance are journaled below the bed of the main frame. These rollers are intergcared and are driven by a geareonneetion 37 with the main shaft at such a speed that the tape belt moves at the same rate of speed as the belts 18. 38 is a lower guidepulley for said belt, and 39 and 40 are guidepulleys therefor at the respective ends of the trough 34, the belt, paper, and filler passing together over the pulley 39 into said trough. 41 and 42 are a pair of rollers which are j ournaled one above the other at the rear portion of said trough and form the mouthpiece thereof. The lower roller 42 is formed with a V- shaped central depression 43, and the upper roller 41 is of complementary or double-cone form, as best shown in Fig. 12. The roller 41 has a peripheral groove 44, in which runs an endless belt 45. Said belt is carried by said roller and by a pulley 46, journaled a short distance in front of the two rollers 30, and its lower or working portion is designed to be in contact wit-h the filler as it moves from between the belts 18 through the trough 31 to the trough 34 to assist the feed. Rollers 41 42 are driven at the same rate of speed as the belts 18, 24, and 45 by gear 47.

48 is a grooved wheel which is journaled in edgewise position just forward of the rollers 41 and 42, its grooved periphery turning in the trough 34 in contact with the filler-rod.

This wheel is positively driven by the spur-' gear 49, between its shaft and the shaft of roller 41.

50 is a folding-lip which extends into the upper portion of the trough 34 Said lip is adj ustably secured to a vertical arm or standard 51 of the box and has a curved working face, as best seen in Fig. 13.

52 is a similar but opposite lip which is placed in advance of the first and also in advance of the paste-applying devices, now to be described.

53 designates the paste-receptacle, into the lower portion of which projects the periphery of a wheel or roller 54, which is positively driven from the main shaft.

55 is a vibrating roller or cylinder which is loosely mounted on a shaft 56 and whose periphery is in frictional contact with the periphery of the wheel or roller 54. Said roller or cylinder 55 has its ends cut in parallel oblique planes, as best seen in Fig. 16, and it is confined between two pins or projections 57 of its shaft 56. It will be obvious that as said roller or cylinder is rotated by contact with wheel 54 it will also be caused an endwise vibration upon its shaft, due to the pres-' sure of the pins 57 upon its oblique ends. Owing to this peculiar movement it receives an even uniform supply of paste from the said wheel.

58 is a horizontal disk whose grooved periphery is in frictional contact with this vibrating roller, and also with a second and positively-driven disk 59. The disk 58 takes the paste from the roller 55 and delivers it to the disk 59, which in turn delivers it to the standing edge of the paper, as shown in Fig. 9. I do not, however, limit myself to the number of intermediate disks for transferring the paste from the vibrating roller to the paper.

I have also shown in Fig. 10 a modified form of paste-applying mechanism, wherein a horizontally j ournaled positively driven wheel 60 turns in the paste-receptacle,throu gh an opening in the side thereof, and also in trough to the cutting mechanism.

The cutting mechanism employed in the present machine is similar in principle to that shown and described in my application for patent, Serial No. 585,967, now pending, but is preferably of somewhat different and improved construction.

64 designates a rotary head or carrier of double-flanged form which is journaled to rotate in a plane transverse to the line of feed of the machine. Loosely journaled in the flanges of this head at equidistant points are a series (six being shown) of shafts 65, whose end portions project beyond the respective faces of said head. Secured to the rear end portion of each of said shafts is a cutterholder 66, in or to which is rigidly but removably secured a cutter-blade 67, having a curved or oblique cutting edge whose front end or corner is nearer the axis of thehead than the rear end or corner by a distance about equal to the diameter of a cigarette, say about three-eighths of an inch. On the opposite end portion of each of said shafts 65 is an arm 68, having a projecting pin 69, which as the head is rotated is designed to contact with a cam 70, fixed to the .main frame. Coiled around each shaft 65 between the two flanges of the head is a spring 71, one of whose ends is fixed to oneof said flanges at 72, and the other of which is fixed to a collar 73, secured on said shaft by a set-screw 74, by means of which said collar maybe secured in such adjustment as well as give any desired degree of initial tension to said spring.

The head or carrier is rotated in the direction as indicated by the arrow to give the cutters a downward action on the cigarette-rod, and the cam is located adjacent to the upper portion of said head. In operation as each cutter approaches the work the pin 69 on the arm 68 of its shaft 65 comes in contact with this cam, causing said shaft to turn in its bearings and thereby wind the spring71 upon said shaft, whereby the instant-said pin escapes the cam the unwinding of said spring turns said shaft in the'opposite direction and momentarily throws said cutter downward and forward with a speed considerably in excess of that of its rotation with the head;

The cutter in its throw works against the end face of the guide 68, in which the cigaretterod is held, making an instantaneous draw cut. In this manner a perfectly square and ICC clear cut is made without checking the onward movement of the cigarette-rod through the machine.

'7 5 are stop-pins, one of which is provided for each of the arms 68, said pins being secured in the head in positions for contact with said arms to check the downward throw of the cutters when the pins 69 escape from the cam.

76 indicates a train of gear by means of which the cutter-head is driven from the main shaft at the proper relative speed.

Although the operation of the machine may be understood from the foregoing it may here be briefly described as follows: The tobacco is fed upon the belt 4, and is carried thereby to the toothed cylinders, which reduce it to proper condition for the subsequent operations. Falling from the said cylinders into the trough formed by the belts 1S and 24, it is carried forward thereby and is at the same time shaped into approximately cylindrical form by the action of said belts and of the friction-rollers 29. As the filler-rod so formed leaves said belts and passes through the trough 31 it is assisted in its movement by the endless belt 45. At this point it enters the paper, which at the same time enters the tape belt 35, being drawn from its carrying-roll. The paper and belt in passing between the complementary rollers 41 and 42 are turned up into trough form, as shown in Fig. 12, and passing 011 to the lip 50 one edge of both the paper and belt are turned down upon the tobacco-rod. The standing edge of the paper now receives acoating of paste from the pastewheel and passes on to the second folding-lip 52, by means of which it is folded down onto the previously-folded edge of the paper and stuck. (See Fig. 14.) Between the two lips the portion of the tape belt which was first folded over with the paper returns to standing form. The enveloped rod or continuous cigarette now passes to the cutter and is cut into proper lengths thereby in the manner described.

I do not limit myself to the use of the particular feed devices herein shown and described, as other means may be employed; nor do I wish to limit myself to any particular form of driving-gear for the several parts. It is, however, necessary to so construct and arrange this gear that all moving parts in contact with the filler or with the completed rod shall move at a uniform rate of speed. It is also obvious that minor features of the construction may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In a cigarette-machine, the combination with the flanged belts 18 constituting the lateral walls of the filler-forming conduit, means for forming the bottom of such conduit, and the driving and carrying pulleys for said belts, of the blocks adj ustably secured to the main frame of the machine and having bearin gs for the shafts of said driving-pulleys, and a series of vertically-journaled rollers carried by each of said blocks and arranged to act against the said belts, substantially as specifled.

2. In a cigarette-machine, the combination with the flanged filler-rod-forming belts, of the wrapping mechanism, to which the fillerrod passes after leaving said belts, and consistin g of an open conduit, having oppositelyarranged folding-lips, an endless tape belt arranged to travel through said conduit at a speed uniform with that of the filler-forming belts, the complementary mouthpiece-rollers 41 and 42 at the rear portion of said trough, the endless belt 45, having its operative portion arranged to contact with the filler between said tape belts and said mouthpiecerollers, said belt being driven by one of said rollers, and the grooved wheel over said open conduit in front of said rollers substantially as specified.

3. The pasting mechanism, comprising a paste-receptacle, a paste wheel or roller arranged to turn therein, a cylinder or roller in frictional contact with said wheel, and capable of endwise vibration, means for causing endwise vibration thereof, and means for transferring the paste from said roller to the paper, substantially as specified.

4. The pasting mechanism, comprising a paste-receptacle, a paste-wheel arranged to turn therein, a shaft, a cylinder or roller in frictional contact with the paste-wheel, and loose upon the said shaft, said cylinder or roller having cam-shaped ends, and pins or projections carried by said shaft and engaging said ends, substantially as specified.

5. In a cigarette-machine, the combination of a paste-receptacle, a rotary paste-wheel or the like arranged to turn therein, a cylinder or roller whose surface is in frictional contact with the said wheel and is rotated thereby, means for imparting to said cylinder or roller an endwise vibration as it rotates, and one or more rotary disks for transferring the paste from said cylinder to the paper to be pasted, substantially as specified.

6. In a cigarette-machine, cutting mechanism comprising a flanged cutter-head journaled to rotate in a plane transverse to the line of feed of the machine, a series of equidistant shafts loosely journaled therein, a cutter affixed to one end portion of each of said shafts, a spring coiled around the intermediate portion thereof between the flanges of the said head and fastened at one end thereto and at the opposite end to the head, an arm attached to the opposite end portion of said shaft and a stationary cam device in position to engage each of said arms as the head rotates, substantially as specified.

7. In a cigarette-machine, a cutting device comprising a rotary head or carrier formed with double peripheral flanges, a series of equidistant shafts loosely journaled therein,

IIO

a knife or cutter rigidly attached to one end of each of said shafts, an arm attached to the opposite end thereof, a spring coiled around the intermediate portion thereof and secured to the head at one end, an adjustable collar on said shaft to which the opposite end of said spring is attached, a stationary cam adapted to be engaged by each of said arms as the head 

